San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-26
Apostle of the TuIes.
BRET HAETE, IN LoNGMAN's MAGAZINE.

disappointed lovers, she could not under.
stand her guests quiescent attitude. Her
I curiosity, however, soon gave way TO the
habitual contemplation of her own sorrOws
and she could not fOregO the OppOrtune pre-
sence of a sympathiZing auditor TO whom she
could relieve her feelings. The preparation
for the evening meal was therefore accom-
panied BY dreary monotone of lamentatiOn.
She bewailed her lost youth, her brief court.
ship, the struggles Of her early married life
! her premature wdOwhOOd, her penuTiOus
and helpless existence, the disruption OF all
! her present ties, the hOpelessness of the
future. She rehearsed the intending plant
of those long evenings set 10 the music of
the restless wind around her bleak dwelling,
with something of its strdulous reteration.
The young man listened and replied with
softly asserting eyes, but without pausing in
the material aid that he was quietly giving
her. He had removed the cradle Of the
sleeping child 10 the bedroom, quieted the
sudden wakefulness of "Pinkey," rear
ranged the struggling furniture of the sit
ting-rOOm with much order and tidiness, re-
paired the hinges of rCbelliOus shutter and
the lock of an unfolding door, and yet had
apparently retained an undated interest in
her spoken woes Surprised once more into
recognizing this devotion, Sister Hiler alb
ruptly>arrested her mOnOlOgue.
"Well, if you amt the handiest man
ever seed about the hOuser'
IAN I?' said Gideon, with suddenly
sparkling eyes. "Do you really think sop
81 do"
'Then you don't know how glad | am"
His frank face so Enthusiastically showed his
simple qualification that the widow, after
| ll,,, la
seized with a bewildering fancy. The first
effect of it was the abrupt withdrawal Of her
| eyes, then a sudden effusiOn of blood to her
forehead that finally extended to her cheek
bones, and then an interval of forgetfulness,
where she remained with plate held vague
| ly in her hand. When she succeeded at last
nputting it on the table instead of the young
mans lap, she said in voice quite unlike
| her own:
| SHOP
81 mean it." said Gideon, cheerfully.
After pause in which he unOstentatiously
rearranged the table which the widow was
abStractedly disorganiZing he said gently,
After tea, when you're not so much hust-
cred with work and worry, and more COM
posed in spirit We'll have little talk, Sister
| Hiler I'm in no hurry tonight and if you
|
the barn with my blanket until sun-up to-
morrow. l can get up early enough to do
some odd chores round the lot before l 60"
you know best Brother Gideon" said
the widow, family, land if yOu think it's
the Lords will, and no speshal trouble to
you, so do. But sakes alive its time l tided
myself a little" she continued, lifting one
hand to her hair while with the other she
endeavored to fasten a buttOnless collar;
"leavin' alone the vanities O. dress, it's ez
much as one kin do to keep a clean rag on
with the children clinfbin' over We. Sit by
and I'll be back in mint"
| Late that evening Selby Hitler woke. up in
his little truckle bed, listening to the rising
midnight wind, which in his childish fancy
he COMPOUNDED with the sound of voices that
came through the open door of the living
room. lie recognized the deep voice of the
| young minister, Gideon, and the occasional
fearful responses of his mother, and he was
fancying himself again at church when he
heard step, and the young preacher seemed
to enter the room, and, going to the bed,
leaned over and kissed him on the forehead
and then bent over his little brother and sis
ter and kissed them too. Then he slowly
re-entered the living room. Lifting himself
softly on his elbow, Selby saw him go up to-
ward his mother, who was crying, with her
| head on the table, and kiss her also on the
| forehead. Then he said Good night" and
the front door closed and Selby heard his
footsteps crossing the lot toward the barn.
His mother was still sitting with her face
buried in her hands when he fell asleep.
She sat by the dying embers of the fire I'M
til the house was still again, then she rose
| and wiped her eyes. "Et's good thing"
she said, going to the bedroom door, and
looking in upon her sleeping children; "et's
mercy and blessing for them and-for-
me. But-but-he might-hev-said-
loved mep'
Although Gideon Dean cOntrived to find a
nest for his blanket in the moldy straw of
the unfinished barn loft he could not sleep
He restlessly watched the stars through the
cracks of the boarded roof, and listened TO
the wind that made the half-open structure
as vocal as sea-shell, until past midnight.
Once or twice he had fancied he heard the
tramp of households on the far-Otf trail, and
now it seemed to approach nearer, mingled
with the sound Of voices. Gideon raised his
head and looked through the doorway of the
loft He was not mistaken; two men had
Hdltcu III Illo lOdu DelOlt llc llOllSt, anu WtIo
examining it as if uncertain if it were the
dwelling they were seeking, and were hest
tating il they should rouse the inmates
Thinking he might spare the widow this
disturbance TO her slumbers and possibly
some alarm, he rose quickly, and, descend
| ing to the enclosure, walked toward the
house. As he approached, the men advanced
to meet him, and by accident or design
| ranUad thaDnsalVaa an ifhar SiIa A OrIon
showed him they were strangers to the To-
cality.
Were loOkin' fer the preacher that lives
here" said the one who seemed to be the
elder. "A man by the name o Hitler, l
reckonp'
Brother Hitler has been dead two years."
responded Gideon. His widow and child
rem live here"
The two men looked at each other. The
younger one laughed; the elder mumbled
something about its being three years ago."
and then turning suddenly on Gideon, said:
"Pr3ps you're preacher
II am"
'Can you come to a dying mang'
81 will"
The two men again looked at each other.
But" continued Gideon softly, you'll
| plcdSo Keep quiet 80 as HOt 10 uloluIu tic
widow and her children while 1 get my
horse" He turned away; the younger man
made movement as If to stop him, but the
elder quickly restrained his hand. HE isn't
gOin to run away" he whispered. Look, "
he added, as Gideon a moment later reap
peared mounted and equipped.
do you think we'll De in timer" asked
the young preacher as they rode quickly
away in the direction of the tules.